Brian Flynn, imbiber of own medicine

June 1, 2004

As Alexandra Polier, who was subject of false rumours of having had an affair with John Kerry, tells it, the Sun reporter who first picked up her name from the Drudge Report sure can’t take it as well as he dishes it out:

In the end, I liked [the New York Observer‘s Alexandra Wolfe]; she’d had the courage to meet me–more than I can say for The Sun‘s Brian Flynn, who had first named me. Afraid I would lose my temper, I asked my editor to call him first.

“I was calling to ask you who your source was for your story which named Alex Polier as the intern in the Kerry story,” she said.

“Ah, many people have asked me; it was a fantastic source,” he said. “I broke that story to the world, you know,” he added proudly. “But your source was wrong,” she pointed out. He paused, startled. “You’ve just ambushed me,” he cried. “You’ve ambushed me!”

“I think you should speak to Alex,” she said and passed me the phone.

“Hello,” he said, sounding nervous.

“I’d like to talk to you. I’m writing a piece and have some questions.”

“It’s not a good time right now,” he said. “Let’s meet up next week.”

“Why did you quote my mother when she wasn’t even home?” I persisted.

“I really can’t talk about this right now, Alex,” he said.

When I finally tracked him down the following week, he was brusque and told me to go through The Sun’s PR office. I asked him about my mother again, but he kept saying, “Sorry, Alex, proper channels.” Reached in London, Lorna Carmichael, The Sun’s PR manager, refused to comment. I went to Flynn’s apartment, and spoke to his wife through the intercom. “Go away and leave us alone!” she cried. “He’s not going to come down or speak to you.”